More Than I Bargained For
by FictionVersus
Summary: Working class Bella, hands-on and loving wife and mother-of-three, changes places with upper-class Victoria as part of a reality TV program Wife Swap. How will she adjust to the rules of the new house? Entry in the Fiction Vs. Reality Contest.


_Title: More Than I Bargained For_

_Rating: M_

_Summary: Working class Bella, hands-on and loving wife and mother-of-three, changes places with upper-class Victoria as part of a reality TV program Wife Swap. How will she adjust to the rules of the new house, what rules will she change when she can? Most importantly, how will the experience change her life forever? _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. I laughed at the hilarity that is Wife Swap and cried when Edward left in New Moon, but the copyright for each belong to their rightful owners. I'm just squishing the two together for my own sick amusement, and hopefully yours. _

_Title of Chosen Reality Competition Show: Wife Swap_

~ 0 ~

My heart was in my throat as I walked up the drive toward the huge white house. I had to force myself not to gape at the sheer scale of it. I figured my entire house—heck probably my house, garden and half the road in front—would it into the multi-car garage. The thought that I would be staying in the colossal structure for the next two weeks was intimidating to say the least. Each step took me past perfectly manicured landscaping; topiaries and multi-layered hedges of species I had never before seen, let alone knew the name of. I gulped down the fear that perhaps one of my tasks would be to upkeep the gardens. I sincerely hoped not. Although I loved spending time outside, my green thumb had turned brown and died years ago.

I turned back briefly to see Jacob, the cameraman who would be following my every footstep over the next two weeks, trailing right behind me with his camera perched on his shoulder. He gave me a thumbs up as I exhaled a shaky breath and turned back to face the house.

I finally reached the door—a massive glass structure at least four times as wide and twice as high as my own front door—and pushed it open. I stepped into a formal entryway with cathedral ceilings above an elegant, spiralling staircase. I couldn't even begin to imagine how to get close enough to the ceilings to clean them, let alone how long it would take. I took a deep, calming breath before following Jacob's instructions and exploring the house a little. I tried not to absorb the details of the giant house as I strolled through it, if I did, it was likely that I would turn heel and run screaming at the enormity of the tasks I was sure to face.

My trepidation grew with every second I spent in the house. I told myself not to panic until I had read the manual left for me; the one containing the rules of this house. I froze as a moment of doubt gripped me and my mind turned to the folder I had left at my house. _Had I included everything?_ I worried that something would go undone, especially because I knew that if I had missed a vital task my husband, James, wouldn't even notice. He was lovely in his own way, but sometimes I thought he'd end up going to work naked if I didn't chase around after him every second of the day. I sighed, wondering whether I had made a mistake agreeing to this when he'd asked. But I knew we needed the extra money we'd get during the taping. I'd seen the way the show worked, so I knew what I was getting myself into. _I hoped._

I shook myself out of my reverie and practically ran for the folder that would rule my life for the next two weeks. I flicked it open, anxious to see what my life would be like and worrying that there was a whole lot of house to keep clean. Jacob dropped down to his knees and pointed the camera up toward me, no doubt trying to capture my facial expressions as I read the document, but instead he distracted me and my eyes flicked straight down the barrel.

"Just try and ignore the camera, Bella," he murmured.

"That's easy for you to say," I muttered under my breath. I wasn't comfortable with the knowledge that I would be mic'd up from the time I got out of bed until I went back to sleep each night, and would have a camera in my face a good portion of that time. I hated the thought that I would have my privacy stripped away so completely. In fact, the only 'me time' I would get would be bathroom breaks.

I focused my attention back on the page in front of me.

~ 0 ~

_**Cullen Family**_

_**Welcome to our homestead:**_

_Success and wealth are the cornerstones of society. The __Cullens__ are a family who have access to the finer things in life by way of our financial triumph. Edward is an incredibly talented CEO who works very hard to ensure that his family are able to live the lifestyle that he believes they deserve. His dedication means that I am not required to hold a job, other than managing the household. _

_Because of our extremely fortunate position in life, we ensure that we are regular benefactors to a number of charities. A significant part of our fundraising is performed through charity dinners and gala events. Due to these commitments, it is important that I am able to maintain a well-groomed appearance, so that is my focus. _

_Edward is extremely driven but also takes a strong hand in raising our children. He is committed to his family and loves spending time with his boys._

_We are the CULLENS: Victoria (28), Edward (30), Emmett (10), Jasper (8)_

~ 0 ~

I read through the section about leisure and social life and was surprised by just how busy Victoria's social calendar was. It seemed that although Edward worked hard to give her time to spend looking after the household, it was the one thing she didn't really do. Between lunches with the girls, daily appointments with her hairdresser, pedicurist or masseuse, and working out at the gym or pool, she was fully booked. I couldn't even see when she spent time with her kids.

~ 0 ~

_**Household:**_

_**How do you divide the roles?**_

_Edward is a hands-on type of guy so he takes all of the responsibility to getting the boys up and off to school each morning. They have a nanny who collects them from school and manages their schedule until bedtime. _

_Edward also spends time with the boys on weekends. During times that we are required to attend charity events, Emmett and Jasper go to Edward's parents or their nanny looks after them. _

_**What are your general views on cleaning?**_

_It is very important to me to have an immaculate house. I do not like clutter or mess. I believe the house should be ready for an impromptu visit at any time._

_**Do you have a cleaning person or hired help? If so, why? If not, why not?**_

_We have a full contingent of staff. We have a full-time cleaner who works from nine until two daily. Outside of that, the boys' nanny ensures any mess the boys make is cleaned immediately. Each day a chef arrives at five to prepare dinner and he comes in at eleven to prepare lunch every weekend that we are home. _

~ 0 ~

I shook my head sadly as I read through it. Victoria had all the luxury of time and money to be able to provide a great, loving environment for her family, but she spent more time working on herself. It was only after I had finished the document that I became aware of the fact that I had been mumbling and murmuring to myself in shock. Jacob gave me a thumbs-up to let me know that he had the shot he wanted. Then he started asking me questions about everything I had read, and I answered as honestly as I could.

My mind turned to James, Kate, Tanya and Tia back at home. I missed them all so much already and I wasn't even one day into my experience. I worried about how Victoria would cope with my hectic schedule. I thought back to what I'd written in my own household manual. James worked hard, but he also relaxed hard. He was away from the house for at least twelve hours each day. Usually he'd spend at least ten at work and then another couple at the local pub. In the section about our relationship, I had made a comment that it would have been nice for him to spend time with me more often, but I understood why he couldn't. He worked as a labourer and needed time to unwind. However, because of his hours, he was usually gone before the kids got up in the morning and arrived home after they were in bed.

Jacob pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and checked the screen. "It's time to meet your new family." He grinned.

A lump the size of a baseball grew in my throat. I wasn't sure if I was ready to meet this family; a husband who worked to support his wife's frivolous activities in the name of 'charity' and boys who had been raised by the hands of others. I worried that this _Edward_ was going to be arrogant and that the kids would be horrid. My hands grew sweaty and I again found myself regretting my choice to go on the show. Just before my panic had the opportunity to grow into a full-blown attack, the door opened and I knew there was no going back.

The first face I saw belonged to a tiny, cheeky boy with wild, curly, strawberry-blond hair. He grinned madly at me before stopping in the doorway. His brother, a tall boy with short, dark auburn hair, almost bowled him over as he raced in next. I couldn't stop myself from smiling as I watched the infectious joy of the two boys. They pretended to wrestle each other, the bigger one clearly having the upper hand, but allowing the younger one to win. They were so gorgeous and full of life that I didn't even notice their father enter the room at first. But when I did look up, I felt my smile falter slightly.

I liked to think I was experienced in the world; I'd travelled a little before I settled down with James, I'd gone to college and was reasonably well educated despite being firmly working class. Yet in spite of all of my experiences, I was stunned by the man I saw when I looked up at my new 'husband'. Never before had I seen anyone who fitted the very definition of attractive; everything about him screamed perfection. He looked like he had just walked off the pages of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue. His copper hair was artfully un-styled, an unruly mess that somehow seemed perfectly set. A smile played on his lips and pride shone in his eyes as he watched the same interaction that had, until just a moment earlier, held my undivided attention. Finally, as if feeling my appraisal of him, his eyes turned in my direction. His smile widened as he extended his hand to greet me. "Hello, I'm Edward Cullen, you must be Isabella Laurent?"

"Please, just call me Bella," I said, shaking his hand when I found my bearings again. I was suddenly hyper-aware of the camera trained on me, no doubt capturing my awkward gawking and my blush.

"Well, Bella, this is Emmett." He touched the head of the taller boy. "And this is Jasper." He indicated the cheeky youngster.

I bent down and offered my hand to Emmett and Jasper in turn, greeting them with genuine enthusiasm.

"So, where are you from, Bella?" Edward asked, clearly trying to keep the conversation flowing and avoid the awkward pauses that were no doubt going to haunt us soon. I felt at ease with the three of them already, but they were still strangers whom I knew very little about—except for the fact that they were exceptionally rich and most likely incredibly spoiled.

"Forks, Washington." I half expected him to ask me where in Washington Forks was. It was such a small town that no-one I'd met outside of the Olympic Peninsula had ever even heard of it, but Edward nodded.

"There's a lovely spot for camping down there," he said. "Just near the border of the Quileute tribe's land."

I gaped openly at him. Based on everything in Victoria's household manual, camping was the last activity I'd thought anyone in the Cullen family would be interested in.

Edward chuckled, no doubt understanding my shock. "My father used to take me out there all the time. I spent a significant portion of my childhood in Seattle. I've taken the boys there once or twice, but it's hard to get away with all of our commitments."

I could have sworn I saw his mouth twist as he said the word. Clearly he wasn't as big a fan of the gala events as his wife was. I filed that piece of information away and began telling Edward about my favorite camping spots around the area. We chatted animatedly as he showed me around more formally, including the spare room that would be my home for the next two weeks. Even the boys seemed to be genuinely interested in what I had to say. I knew immediately that I was very lucky I had swapped into such a welcoming household.

~ 0 ~

I almost died enduring my first day in Victoria's shoes. I had to stay in the bedroom until nine, because that was when she got up each morning. I lamented as I thought about all the wasted hours. Back at home, I was usually out of bed by six at the latest, and by nine would have already prepared everyone's lunches, seen James off to work, ironed school uniforms, woken and fed the girls, dropped the older two off at school and returned home to start on whichever chore needed my attention the most. Here, I didn't even get to see Emmett and Jasper before they left. Edward broke the rules a little, popping his head in the door to let me know he was leaving. I was grateful for it; it was my only contact with the family in almost twenty hours.

When I was finally able to leave the room, I had to get ready to go to the scheduled appointments. I spent the remainder of the morning being poked and prodded by an assortment of beauticians at Volturi Salon. When the colorist inferred something about the cost of Victoria's weekly treatments, I almost choked; it would have probably fed my family for a month. The masseur seemed particularly handsy and I was not at all comfortable with the way his fingers probed at my skin. I thanked the three brothers who owned the salon as I left, but was glad I wouldn't have to be subjected to them again. The next appointment was scheduled for seven days, and by then I would be in control of the house rules.

For lunch, I met with Victoria's friends. At first they seemed almost welcoming—all fake smiles and condescending small talk—but that initial reception soon faded. It quickly became apparent that I was deemed to be somehow _less_ than them and unworthy of anything more than a cursory inclusion. I hadn't experienced such a clique before; not even at high school.

I was sure Jacob had captured every moment of my excruciating experience with glee—no doubt it was exactly what the producers wanted, swapping restrained shopper me with shopaholic Victoria.

With each day that passed, I grew more and more disgusted with Victoria's lifestyle and marginally more used to Jacob's constant presence. I found that it was getting harder to reconcile what I had discovered about Edward with what I now knew about her life. I tried to find out a little bit more about him and the boys but it was hard because we spent very little time together. According to her schedule and the notes she'd left for me, Victoria didn't have time to spend with her man. I couldn't understand it; even when James came home late I made sure I was there to find out how his day went. Most of the time James had a few beers and just wanted sex, but at least we were together. From what I could see, Edward was usually home at a decent hour and would make time for her if she wanted it. Sure he was busy, but not to the detriment of his family. I wasn't sure what he did. He tried to explain it to me, but it went over my head. However, I knew enough to see that he could work flexible hours and made himself equally accessible to his work and his family.

Edward informed me mid-week that there was an upcoming gala event which we would be required to attend. Although I was terrified about having to dress up, I was happy for the opportunity to help out with their charity work and even happier to finally be getting an opportunity to talk to Edward. I really wanted to find out more about his household and about him. It became the focal point of my time, since I was lounging around doing little else. The 'Rule Change' would be happening on the day following the gala, and I was itching to make some big changes.

As per Victoria's list of instructions, I had to go shopping for a dress before going to get my hair and make-up done. I was out of my league and completely uncomfortable in the clothing shops as I struggled to find something that didn't have a four figure price tag. Jacob didn't exactly help the situation either as he hung around as usual, sticking his camera into my face whenever I was wearing the most embarrassing expressions. I almost cried when I realised the dress I had purchased probably cost the equivalent of three car payments. I consoled myself with the fact that it did look very nice on, and gave me other _assets_ that were usually conspicuously absent. It was a change for me to wear something so pretty or so new. I only ever bought myself a new outfit when my old ones were too old and ratty to wear any longer. Comfort and practicality were usually the only things I looked for in clothes. I now knew how Cinderella felt when her Fairy Godmother popped in and started waving her magic wand around—except my Godmother was a seemingly limitless Amex card.

I arrived back at the Cullen household just in time for the limo to pull up out front. Edward stepped out to greet me and I felt my breath get caught in my throat. He was wearing a tuxedo and a smile as he met me. I knew it was wrong to be thinking the thoughts I had about someone else's husband, especially when I was married myself, but I couldn't help it. Even Mother Theresa would have had covetous thoughts about Edward Cullen had she met him. The point was I enjoyed my look, but there was no way I was ever going to act on it.

He smiled brilliantly at me. "You look beautiful," he said.

I tried very hard not to wrinkle my nose a little, but failed miserably. He chuckled at the look that crossed my face.

"This—" I waved my hand along the front of the dress. "Isn't me."

His eyes trailed the length of my body for at least the second time and he shook his head. "I don't know, I think it suits you."

I blushed profusely and climbed into the car in order to escape the embarrassment. I could hear Edward chuckling behind me, but couldn't look at him. No doubt he thought I was some small town hick now.

Once we were safely inside the car, with the cameras seated directly opposite and trained on us, Edward turned to me and unknowingly allayed my fears. "I'm really glad we get to spend some time together this evening."

I smiled in response. "Me too."

"How are you finding our humble home so far?"

I began to laugh, but stopped myself.

Edward cocked his head to the side quizzically, silently asking what I found amusing.

"Sorry," I said. "But there is nothing _humble_ about your house."

He grinned. "Yeah, I guess you're right. You want to know a secret though?"

I nodded.

"I don't know what half the rooms are for." He chuckled.

I laughed along with him.

"Actually, I never wanted such a big house," he admitted. "It was all Victoria's design. I just wanted lots of land. That was my dream. I love the outdoors and I wanted to feel closer to it again."

I understood. Whenever I was in a city, I usually began to feel claustrophobic after just a few days. While my own house was tiny, it backed onto forests that extended for many miles and I loved to go exploring through there with my girls in the afternoons before James came home from work.

We continued to talk without pause about everything and nothing until we arrived at the gala. I was surprised by how much we had in common and how easily the conversation flowed between us. Edward let the cameramen leave first before climbing fluidly from the car. He turned back to me, offering his hand to help me from the car, and then his arm to hold as we entered the grand old hotel that was hosting the proceedings. I smiled to myself, wondering how he could be such a gentleman in this day and age. I couldn't even remember the last time James held a door open for me, let alone led me into a ball.

We spent the night chatting easily, the conversation flowing as fluidly as the wine. It was like we had known each other for years, not less than a week. At one point, Edward was called onto the stage to give a speech. At the end, he introduced me as his 'Wife Swap' wife and brought me up onto the stage to draw some of the names for the lucky door prizes. When we finally left a little after midnight, I was grinning widely.

"That was the most fun I think I've ever had at one of those things," Edward said, as he climbed into the limo before pulling his tie loose and unbuttoning his top button. My eyes dropped to the base of his throat as he continued to talk. His Adam's apple bobbed delightfully, mesmerizingly, and I was once again lost in thoughts of desire and need.

"Bella?" he asked, cutting through my thoughts sharply like scissors through a ribbon.

"Sorry." I raised my eyes back to his face. His lips were moist and parted slightly. I briefly imagined what they would feel like to kiss, shocking myself with my own train of thought. I loved James. In my heart of hearts, I knew I would never do anything with Edward, but being in such close confines after so many drinks made it easy to_ imagine_ doing something. "I was just lost in thought."

I finally raised my eyes up to meet his and found him much closer than I had anticipated. His eyes dropped and he watched my lips momentarily. I couldn't stop my tongue from darting forward to wet them. My teeth captured my lower lip and I bit into it. I moved even closer to him, our faces so close that I could feel his warm breath on me. I couldn't stop my movements, even though I knew they were wrong. Each second dragged on forever in our perfect moment of anticipation, and when his eyes met mine again, they held a mutual understanding as if we both knew what was going to happen but were equally powerless to stop it.

His breathing quickened as yet another quarter inch of space was removed from between us. My own breath stopped as if my body was desperate to replace my requirement for oxygen with a need for Edward.

Edward hummed slightly as his eyes fell back onto my lips and I knew any second I would make what would be simultaneously the greatest and worst decision of my life. We both had families, families we loved desperately. We both had spouses, who supported and loved us in their own way. But after the wonderful evening—the first time I had felt truly beautiful and desirable in a very long time—it didn't seem like any of that mattered any more.

I halted my movement and let out a nervous giggle, pulling away from Edward sharply. I couldn't believe what had almost happened. I turned back to see him looking regretful but relieved. As I did, I remembered we weren't alone in the car. Jacob was there, camera in hand, trained steadily on the two of us. When he saw me looking at him he mouthed the word 'wow'. I blushed brightly again, aware that a very intimate moment between Edward and I had been captured on film, and would very likely be broadcast on national TV. I was mortified to my core, shocked that for a moment I was actually going to do it—I was going to kiss another man—but even more surprised that despite all the reasons I knew I shouldn't, I still wanted to.

The rest of the car ride was silent and thick with tension. Only after we arrived back to the house did we begin to talk again. Having more space between us made it easier to ignore the feelings that had been awoken in me. Edward looked like he wanted to talk about something, but I couldn't face it, so I made my excuses and headed to bed. I grabbed the photo I had placed on the nightstand and took comfort in my family. The photo was taken almost two years ago, on Tia's first birthday, and was one of the few we had of everyone together. Usually it was James and the girls because I was taking the photo or just the girls because James was off somewhere else. I stared at the photo for the longest time. I didn't even realise when tears began to roll down my face. I missed my family dreadfully and I felt guilty for what had almost happened with Edward. Even more so, I was sad that Edward's boys didn't seem to have a mother who would miss them like I missed my girls. In fact, I got the distinct impression from Victoria's friends that the boys only ever crossed her radar when it was convenient for her.

The more I thought about the events of the past week and the little I had learned about the Cullen household, the angrier I grew. From what I had seen the boys were adorable, genuinely friendly kids. They deserved a chance to have fun and interact as a whole family. There was a knock on the bedroom door and I got up to answer it, hastily swiping the tears away.

"Do you mind if we get some 'last night of the Old Rules' footage?" Jacob asked, holding his camera up.

I nodded. "Just give me a moment to clean up."

He got himself organised while I ducked into the en-suite and freshened up my mascara.

"What do you think about Victoria's way of life?" Jacob asked when I was finally seated on the bed across from him.

I debated whether to go with nice or honest. Honest won out. "I think Victoria is a selfish brat who doesn't recognise the true wealth in her life.

"She lives in this huge home and has regular mani/pedis and goes on extended shopping trips and all that rubbish, while she has three darling men waiting at home for her. Edward seems to put so much effort into being both the provider and the parent for his children and Victoria seems content to take everything she can from him.

"What's more, the money wasted on expensive shoes and designer hats could feed us for a year! Why not put aside some of that money to ensure the boys have a good education? What would she do if something was to happen to Edward and he couldn't earn money anymore? How long would their savings last the way she spends?"

I continued on for almost half an hour, going around and around in circles, growing more angry all the time. My voice rose louder each time my anger grew until I was practically shouting at the camera. At one stage I even climbed off the bed and began to pace.

"What changes are going to happen tomorrow?" Jacob asked when I'd finally stopped my diatribe.

I grinned and stared right at him, through the camera. "Big ones."

Jacob quizzed me a little more until finally he'd decided he had enough footage of me ranting, at least until the Rule Change ceremony, and left. I couldn't sleep though and pulled out the black marker and cardboard they had given me and went to work on writing out my new rules.

~ 0 ~

Edward had already been out to collect the boys from his parents' house by the time I woke up in the morning. I wasn't sure whether Victoria's sleep-in lifestyle was starting to catch up with me or whether the late night rant had worn me out, but I slept until nine. I woke and showered before heading downstairs to rattle the lives of the three Cullens. I heard Jacob following me as I padded down the stairs. In a flash, he had the camera whirring from the prime position in the room.

Jasper and Emmett were on the couch grinning like loons as I walked into the room. Edward looked at me briefly, before turning his eyes away. I could have been wrong, but I could swear he was blushing. He shifted in his seat as I cleared my throat to begin my speech.

"I've spent the last week living in your house, and yet I know nothing about any of you."

Edward's eyes fixated back on me. His lips parted in a gasp and he stared openly at me.

"I feel as though I've been more of a houseguest than a wife and mother. So, starting from today, things are going to change."

I pinned my new list of rules to an easel set up behind me.

I turned back to the three boys watching me from the other side of the room. "I'm going to do more of the things a wife should do." I could have sworn I saw Edward gulp and shift in his seat again. "And I'm going to do more of the things a mother should."

"Like?" Emmett asked, challenging me with his tone.

"Like cooking, playing and helping with homework."

Both Jasper and Emmett wriggled forward in their seats as I read out the new rules. Effectively, I was getting rid of all of the hired help, with the exception of the cleaner and gardener. There was no way I would even know where to start keeping the huge house and gardens so spotless and, well, there had to be some perks of having extra money, right?

~ 0 ~

My new regime was met with zero resistance. Edward was glad for the assistance in getting the boys up in the morning, and the boys were thrilled to be getting so much one-on-one attention with their 'mommy'. Each afternoon when they got home from school we sat around the dinner table and completed their homework. Then the three of us would start dinner or do some baking until Edward got home. Being able to be involved again helped to take my mind off how much I missed my own family. After the boys were tucked up into bed, Edward would retreat to his study to work for a few hours before joining me to sit and talk before heading to our bedrooms. We never mentioned the limo, and we steadfastly ignored the steady undercurrent of desire that seemed to exist as soon as we were alone.

The third night after rule change, I found out a little bit more about the family. What I learned made it easier to see why Victoria could be as seemingly cold as she was toward the two adorable boys she was raising. I'd been alone in the house during the day and between on-camera talks with Jacob I decided to look at some of the family photos on the mantelpiece. There was one, right at the very back, of Edward and a stunning brunette both smiling at each other and clutching a newborn baby. The joy and love on their faces was evident. I grew embarrassed when I remembered Jacob was still trailing around behind me.

I wasn't sure whether to ask Edward about the photo or not. I thought a little about some of the strange things the boys, Emmett in particular, had mentioned to me during our time together. What convinced me in the end was the knowledge that I'd been caught on camera looking at it. I decided I would ask.

I almost regretted asking Edward when his first reaction was to sit forward on the couch and bury his face into his hands. I placed my hand gently on his knee, letting him know I was there if he wanted to discuss it. I wanted to shoo Jacob—and his ever present camera—away, but he stood steadfast and I knew I couldn't do anything to get rid of him. Edward and I were contractually obliged to be filmed; that meant the good and the bad.

"That was my first wife, Chelsea," Edward said sadly. "We were high school sweethearts. I…I loved her so much."

"What happened?" I heard myself asking the question before I'd even thought it through.

"She…" He stopped as his breathing hitched. "There were…complications during Jasper's birth."

I sat motionless while he began to unload onto me. I barely realised that my hand was still caressing his knee as he told me about the first love of his life.

"It must have been so hard," I murmured, feeling completely inadequate to help him deal with his grief. "To go through such joy and such heartache all at the same time."

He nodded. "I've come to terms with it over time. Victoria's helped me a little. She used to be Emmett's nanny, but after Chelsea… well, she was there to comfort me almost immediately."

_I bet she was, _I thought to myself. It took all that I had not to say it out loud.

He chuckled and pressed the heel of his hands into his eyes. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to deal with my issues when you're probably missing your own family."

"It's okay," I assured him. "If you do want to talk about it, I'm a willing listener."

He shook his head. "Sometimes it's easier to live in the moment and just forget, you know? It's easier to deal with the pain that way."

I nodded. "Tell you what…" I jumped up. I could tell he needed some cheering up and didn't want to dwell on the past, so I decided to do something fun and 'in the moment'. "Come with me."

He cocked his head to the side.

"Just trust me!"

He shrugged and followed me into the kitchen. I checked that the cupboards were stocked with everything I needed for my favourite late night pick-me-up, and smiled when I saw that they were. I turned on the oven, grabbed out some trays and lined them with greaseproof paper. Then I assembled all the ingredients on the bench.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked as I broke a Graham cracker in half.

"You'll see."

I tried to ignore Jacob and concentrate on Edward. I continued working, breaking each Graham cracker in two and placing one half on the baking tray. When I'd decided that there were enough, I placed a marshmallow on each one before sliding the tray into the warm oven.

"What are you making?" Edward asked. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were making s'mores."

I grinned. "My patented no-fire s'mores."

He laughed. "Aren't we a little old for s'mores?"

I pretended to be offended. "Just because you're an old man." I winked at him. "I'll have you know, I'm almost a year younger than you so _I'm_ having them."

He laughed again. "Fine, show me your talents oh s'mores master."

I chuckled. "Oh, I can't show you all of my talents, I'm a married woman."

He froze as the words left my mouth, and then I realized what I'd said. I slammed my hand over my mouth and burned red.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean…"

He waved it off, but the uncomfortable tension from the night of the benefit was suddenly back and wrapped around us in force. I turned back to the oven pulling out the tray of warmed biscuits, knowing that they were probably not quite warm enough but wanting something to distract me from the tension. I quickly topped each one with a bit of chocolate and the other half of the Graham cracker, pressing them down to ensure all the gooey goodness of the marshmallows spread to the edges.

I picked up one of the s'mores and offered it to Edward, wishing there was some way to go back to the innocent and playful mood of just a few moments earlier.

Edward grabbed the treat from me before placing it down on the bench. "Bella, I think we need to address the obvious here, don't you?"

I wanted to shake my head. I didn't want to talk about the obvious because that meant admitting that I felt something for him out loud. I was married—happily—I didn't want to admit I was attracted to someone else.

He took another step closer to me. I willed him to keep away, but I couldn't deny that part of me wanted him to come closer, and closer still. He stopped when he was mere feet from me.

"Bella, you are smart and funny. You've made me see life so differently to how I did just a few weeks ago. You are a wonderful, strong person who radiates happiness and joy. These last few days have been a reminder of the way life should have been for me and the boys."

I kept my eyes trained on his shoes. I knew I wouldn't be able to focus looking into his blazing eyes.

"There is something about you that is so beautiful and warm."

My mouth was dry. I tried to swallow but couldn't. I tilted my eyes up to meet his. His hand rose to my face and he brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"I wish Victoria could be more like you."

His words were like a bucket of cold water over me, reminding me of all the reasons why I could never do anything more than think about how soft his lips would be or what his fingers would feel like on my skin.

I took a step away from him. "I can't do this," I murmured before turning and practically running to my room. I heard Jacob's footsteps behind me on the stairs, but I slammed my door shut and sunk to the floor behind it.

~ 0 ~

After the s'mores fiasco, I tried to ensure I was never alone with Edward. I knew neither of us wanted to act on our obvious attraction. But I wasn't sure whether that would be enough to stop us if the perfect moment arose, so I tried to ensure that such a moment would never eventuate.

Too quickly—but also not soon enough—it was time for our lives to return to normal. Edward and I travelled together to the reunion meeting place, a 'no-man's land' so to speak. For our reunion, the producers had selected a café in Seattle. Edward's boys were with a nanny, and I knew my dad was coming over to watch my girls to free up James. There was so much I wanted to say before walking out of Edward's life forever, but I couldn't say the words. It wouldn't be fair to me or him.

Finally the car pulled up and I saw James waiting for me. He was wearing his trademark smirk as he stood talking with Victoria. Before I could leave the car, Edward grabbed my hand. "Thank you, Bella, it was wonderful meeting you." He pressed his lips gently to my hand. My skin seemed to burn where his lips touched.

I nodded and climbed from the car. Then I was running toward James. He held his arms out for me and I ran to him. I kissed him passionately, still feeling some of the spark we'd always had. I used it to try to push the thoughts of Edward's mouth pressed against my hand out of my head.

"Hi, babe," James said as he placed me back on the ground. "Did you have a good time?"

I nodded. "It wasn't as horrible as I thought it might be, but I'm glad to be going home."

"I'm glad you're coming home, I've fucking missed you." He squeezed my ass.

"Me too."

I glanced over at Edward and bit back on the small twisting feeling of jealousy in my stomach as I watched him kissing Victoria.

~ 0 ~

The discussion after our reunion was ugly. Victoria accused me of not encouraging the girls to be feminine enough. Apparently one of her rule changes was make-up, manicures and shopping. I was irate that she'd even suggest such a thing; Kate, my eldest, was only nine.

I flatly told her that she was not a good mother. That she should spend some of the time she spends preening herself paying attention to her wonderful husband and great children. She looked incredulously between me and Edward for a few moments before laughing. "Oh my God," she murmured. "You've got a thing for my husband."

James stood up to defend me and I shook my head vehemently, but the blush that swept over my face told of my embarrassment of being called out in this manner.

"Babe?" James asked with his mouth hanging agape.

I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me whole. I shook my head in denial.

Victoria laughed. "That's almost sad."

"Don't be cruel," Edward murmured. My gaze fell to him. "There was nothing between us. Nothing at all."

His flat denial of my feelings—and what I had been certain he also felt—hurt. I was torn between being glad that our secret remained safe for a moment longer and wishing we could have everything out in the open..

Victoria quickly took control of the situation and I never got the opportunity to revisit the things I wanted to say to her.

Once we were alone, James confronted me about Victoria's accusation. I broke down and admitted I had felt something for him, but that nothing had happened. The rest of the trip home was spent in guilt trips and silence.

~ 0 ~

Two weeks after returning home, the Wife Swap crew were coming to do a follow up. Despite being in James' bad books for a few days over the over my admission, we'd settled back into our regular routine fairly easily. I couldn't say that my life had changed significantly as a result of being on Wife Swap, except I had seen how the other half lived and wasn't as jealous as I once might have been. Sure they had money for big houses and lots of stuff, but what did that mean without love?

I thought about Edward and Victoria a little. Well, I thought about Edward a lot and Victoria very occasionally. I wondered if anything had changed for them. I hoped so, if only for little Jasper and Emmett's sake. They deserved a mother's love.

We had our interview with Wife Swap and went back on with living.

~ 0 ~

A little over three months later, James and I huddled around our tiny TV with some of our close friends watching ourselves on the Wife Swap episode in which we starred. I wondered if Edward and Victoria were watching as well, and if so, was he as concerned about how our attraction came across on film? I wasn't really sure I wanted to see myself, but I was anxious to see how they portrayed me; what had been included and what had been discarded on the cutting room floor. I'd been worried ever since returning home, knowing that everything that had happened between Edward and I was captured and could be edited in any number of ways.

I watched through my fingers as I saw myself ranting about Victoria's mothering skills—or distinct lack thereof. Then the program cut to Victoria's time at my house. I watched as Victoria paraded around my house in a tiny little skirt and six-inch heels and I almost couldn't take it. James seemed taken aback from their very first meeting. From that moment on he seemed to watch her like a wolf eyeing off the largest sheep in the flock. She somehow managed to convince him to do almost all of the housework—even though she was supposed to be following the rules of _my _life. I couldn't believe it, especially when the housework disparity between us had immediately the same as it was before I left. Halfway through the footage of the first week there was a brief snippet of conversation between James and his pal, Riley. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough to make me sit up further in my seat. It was a tiny grab, something recorded when neither of them were aware of the camera's presence and which sounded completely innocuous. "Victoria has a whole catalogue full of secrets, some of which she is more than willing to share."

Dread flooded through me and I turned to James. He was sitting completely still, his beer frozen at his lips, but he wasn't drinking from it.

"What was that about?" I asked, aiming for nonchalance but failing utterly. Our friends reacted instantly, either turning to look away from the scene or toward us with interest.

James laughed it off almost instantly, knocking back the rest of his beer and leaving the couch. "It was nothing," he murmured as he stood.

Riley looked at me for a moment with something akin to pity crossing his face, before following James from the room. I stared after the pair of them, trying to work out whether I should get up and follow them or not.

I held my breath, waiting for the ads so that I could make a subtle exit. I was determined to keep everything together until I knew more. As soon as I was able to get away, I paced the length of the hallway a couple of times, trying to convince myself that it was nothing, but unable to shift the dread settling in my stomach. Previously, I'd been worried about how my interactions with Edward would be edited and how I would be portrayed in the final cut. Victoria's interactions with James could similarly be misconstrued. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't just inflammatory editing, and that James had in fact been glancing lustfully after Victoria. Finally, I headed into the kitchen, hoping to talk it over with James. I knew he would have the words to allay my concerns. He would speak sweetly to me and erase the worry, just as he had every time I'd had suspicions before.

"I just don't know if I can lie to her if she asks me anything," Riley hissed from just outside the back door.

I froze before pressing myself against the wall near the door.

"She won't ask, but if she does you _will_ lie to her," James snarled. "Look, there's nothing to worry about. I am a master at handling Bella. She'll never know. She might suspect, but a whispered word or two and she'll be sweet. I've done this enough over the years to know how to keep her in line. She's always so eager to believe whatever I tell her. She sees only what she wants to see—which is usually what I want her to see."

I melted against the wall and could have sworn I heard my heart shatter with his words. I began to picture all the times I had been moments from confronting him. Had I been right every time?

"Look, the thing with Victoria was nothing anyway, just a means to an end."

My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I tried to beat back the wave of nausea that hit me. I couldn't listen. I didn't want to know. I ran to the toilet and threw up. My mind rejected the words I had just heard. I couldn't cope with the knowledge that my marriage—our love—was based on lies. I threw up again, emptying my stomach but unable to clear my head. I staggered to my feet and flushed the toilet before leaning heavily against the wall. How had a stupid TV show changed my life so much? How had one night with friends destroyed me? _It hasn't_, I realised. I wouldn't be broken by doubt. I needed to hear it from James' mouth. I needed him to tell me what had happened, just so that I wouldn't ever have any doubt. Even as it was, my mind began constructing other explanations for James' words.

I walked on shaky legs to the bathroom and rinsed out my mouth. The first thing I needed to do was be a gracious host and wait until the show was over before seeing my friends out. I washed my face quickly before reapplying a touch of make-up. Then I plastered a fake smile on my face and walked out. As I walked back down the hall I heard murmurs and whispers; _gossip_. They were asking one another what happened between Edward and I and what had happened with James and Victoria. When I reached the living room—fake smile still in place—our friends turned around to stare at me awkwardly, before turning back to watch the last few minutes of the show. Once the torture was over, I thanked them for coming and saw them out as quickly as I could.

I pulled the door shut with a loud and ominous click. I imagined the sound was more than loud enough to wake up the girls and froze for a second, listening intently to hear the sounds that signalled their waking. When I heard nothing, I turned to the next task. I had to keep myself moving, or I would stop and dwell.

I turned off the TV and picked up all of the dirty dishes. I carried them to the sink and began washing them. I was lost in thought, staring into the soapy water, when arms snaked around my waist. I jumped, dropping the dish in my hands, before turning around to greet James. He nuzzled his face into the nape of my neck.

"Hmm, babe, why don't you do this in the morning?"

I shook my head. "I really need to get it done now, otherwise it will add to my list of things to do tomorrow." I tried turning back to the sink again, but he held me captive.

"What's the matter?" he asked, running his nose against the side of my throat.

_I wonder if he did that to her._ I exhaled heavily, trying to clear the thought together with my breath. "Nothing, I just…"

"You're worried about how I would react to seeing you practically fucking that Edward guy on the TV tonight aren't you?"

I frowned. "What?"

James caressed my shoulder with his hand, before dipping it down into my shirt and palming my breast. "Don't worry, babe, I told you that I'd forgiven you and I have." He pushed my shirt down and dipped his head, kissing and caressing my skin with his tongue.

I pushed him away gently. "What happened between you and Victoria?" I asked quietly.

He ignored the question and continued to paw at my chest. I pushed him away again.

"What happened?" I demanded a little louder.

"Babe, did you see anything happen on that show? Other than you almost kissing another guy?"

"I'm not asking about what I saw." I stood a little straighter. "I want to know what happened."

He growled and pushed away from me. "Nothing happened, alright?"

"Define _nothing_," I said through my teeth.

"Where is this coming from?" he asked fiercely. "I've done nothing wrong."

I took a deep breath. "I heard you tonight—"

He interrupted me. "A stupid comment on TV that meant nothing and that was taken completely out of context."

"Talking to Riley," I continued.

His face turned ashen.

"I'm going to ask you again," I seethed. "What happened between you and Victoria?"

"Honestly, babe, it meant nothing."

I fell back against the bench. "It meant nothing," I repeated in a whisper. It wasn't _nothing happened _anymore. I felt the bile rising in my throat again.

"Less than nothing."

"Did you fuck her?" I didn't even know where the question had come from but it burst from my mouth in a rush.

"What sort of question is that?" he asked indignantly.

"Did you fuck her?" I demanded louder. I suddenly had a burst of strength from God knows where and I pushed him away as the words rushed hysterically from my mouth.

He rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Was she worth it?" I spat at him.

"I did it for you," he retaliated. "I did it for us!"

I wanted to block my ears and stop his words. I wanted to retract the questions that I had asked and go back to pretending that everything was okay. I turned back toward the sink and leaned heavily against it. It felt like my bones had evaporated.

His arms wrapped around me from behind again, and I was powerless to try to fight my way out of them. He pulled me up until I was rested against his body. "You know how much money that bitch's husband is worth," he whispered into my ear. "I did it so that we would never have to worry about money again."

_Edward._ I shook my head in disbelief.

"She threw herself at me from day one," James hissed quietly into my ears. "Most men would consider me a saint to have held out as long as I did."

I bit my lip and whimpered, sinking further into James' arms, not for comfort but because I just didn't have the strength to hold myself upright anymore. My world was falling apart by the second. "How many other women have you screwed?" I asked quietly, needing to know just how foolish I'd been.

"Bella, Bella, Bella, baby, it doesn't matter. You're the one that I love. You're the one that I come home to each night," James cooed in my ear. I almost wanted to believe him. It would have been so easy to nod, to relinquish myself back over to his love and willingly submit to a life of lies and half truths. James continued to murmur words that I wanted to believe, but strangely, it was Edward's voice that I heard whispering in my ear, words he had issued when I was at his house. _You are smart and funny. _

I began to hear James' lies interspersed with Edward's truths.

"You are the only one I want looking after me."

_You've made me see life so differently to how I did just a few weeks ago._

"Everything I do is for you and the girls."

_These last few days have been a reminder of the way life should have been for me and the boys._

James shook me lightly, his anger at my stillness growing. "I forgave everything that you did when you were away."

_There is something about you that is so beautiful and warm. _

"Stop!" I shouted, leaping forward out of James' arms, my hips smacking roughly into the counter. I turned on him. "_Nothing_ happened while I was away. I admitted that I felt something, I don't know what it was, but I didn't act on it. I never would have."

"Bella, baby…" James stepped forward toward me, but I quickly shifted to the side to keep away from his arms.

"No! Don't you _baby_ me," I growled.

He rolled his eyes again. "I don't know what you expect from me."

I screamed in frustration. "You haven't even said that you're sorry."

He chuckled. "Is that what you want? I'm sorry." His voice didn't have a single shred of sincerity in it.

"That's not what I want. What I want is for you to leave."

"Bella, it's late," he murmured in tone that I'd heard before; the one that made me feel like a kindergartener. "You're tired. Let's go to bed, we'll discuss this in the morning."

"No! Get out!" I said icily.

"What?"

"I said, get out!" I pushed him toward the door.

He laughed in my face. "You're kicking me out? You wouldn't last a day without me around."

"Try me."

"Fine!" he shouted in response. He grabbed his car keys and his wallet and headed for the front door with me trailing close behind him.

My hands trembled as I shut the door behind him.

Just before I'd closed it completely, he stuck his foot back into the space and his hand pushed the door open a little. "You wouldn't believe how good it felt fucking a real woman for once." He pulled his foot out and slammed the door shut in one swift motion. I fell against the door heavily. I sank to the carpet as the reality of what had happened hit me. I didn't move again until I heard Tia crying, no doubt woken by the slamming door. I stood, dried off my tears and went to be a mommy again.

~ 0 ~

It had been nearly a week since our fight and James still hadn't called. I expected him to and hoped that he would even while I was glad that he hadn't. I wasn't sure what I would do if he begged for forgiveness, but part of me knew that he wouldn't. He would find another willing patsy who would put her head in the sand and ignore all the signs while he slept around to his heart's content. In the meantime, I struggled. I had no income and no experience. I had no idea how I was going to pay for all the expenses that were beginning to arise.

Even worse than my financial situation was the ethical dilemma I faced. I had no idea if Edward knew what had happened between Victoria and James, and I wasn't sure whether I should tell him. Eventually I decided that if Edward had the same information, I hoped he would pass it on.

I found Edward's work phone number and pushed the numbers into my phone with a feeling of dread. I almost hung up the phone when I heard a voice greeting me down the line.

"Hi, would I be able to speak with Edward Cullen please?"

"I'm sorry Mr Cullen is away for an extended period of time. Can I take a message?" a warm female voice asked.

"Have, you got another number for him? It's very important I speak to him urgently."

"I'm sorry, I'm not at liberty to give out his number, but if you leave me your name and number I'll email it to him."

I could tell I wasn't going to get any further with the sentinel secretary so I left my name and number and a message to let Edward know that it was urgent. I figured if there had ever been any genuine feelings of friendship between us, Edward would return my call as soon as possible.

~ 0 ~

Months passed without any word from Edward. In the weeks after my first call, I'd tried to speak to him again but received an almost identical response each time. I left more messages but had no return call.

James and I spoke only enough to finalise our divorce and arrange custody of the girls. Every conversation degraded into a parry of insults and barbs. He was more than happy to give me primary custody, telling me they would only get in the way of his fun. I tried to remind myself that he was a good dad, he was only saying it to get a rise out of me, but it hurt regardless.

Despite the struggles I now faced, I felt ten tonne lighter since kicking James out. It was as if I had known deep down that he wasn't being honest with me, but I had continually ignored it. His words to Riley often came back to haunt me and I couldn't believe how stupid I had been, staying with him for as long as I had. At first, I'd been able to dodge most of the girl's questions, but eventually I had to sit them down and explain that Daddy wasn't going to be living with us anymore. It was the hardest conversation I'd ever had.

The passing of time had been very hard. I'd eventually found part-time work that I could do while the older girls were at school and Mom looked after Tia. It wasn't much money, but it was enough to keep the up with the utilities and put food on the table.

By the time that summer vacation started, I'd had enough. I decided that I wanted to take some of the stress away from the girls. The break-up hadn't been easy on them and I wanted them to have some fun. I packed up a few days worth of supplies and our tent. I rang my parents who agreed to uphold our yearly ritual and go camping together. I met them at our favourite camping spot, a little fishing hole just a few miles from home where my father had taken me since I was a little girl.

It was nice being away from the house, away from the memories of James that haunted me almost daily, when I would find a random sock or photo and everything came crashing down on me. James had never really been the camping type, always leaving me to take the girls with my parents, so it was a place where I could just be me again.

~ 0 ~

I heard the sound, a soft snuffling, before I saw the boy. When I did see him, I pushed the boat over to where he sat at the side of the river. I picked up the pace of my rowing as thoughts of my girls, safe and sound back at the camp with my parents, filled my head. I glanced over his frail form. He couldn't have been any more than six or seven and his hair was wet, clinging to his head. There was something instantly familiar about him, but I couldn't figure out why. I jumped from the boat and approached him slowly, looking around for any sign of his parents or anyone else.

"Hello?" I asked quietly, trying to put on a soothing voice.

The face that turned up to look at me was full of sorrow, but that sorrow broke quickly to a smile. I recognised the boy instantly. He was one who had captured my heart from the first time I'd seen him. I wasn't sure what he was doing near my home town of Forks though, so many miles from his mansion. Memories of my time with Edward came flooding back. _There's a lovely spot for camping down there. Just near the border of the Quileute tribe's land._

"Bella?" he asked, jumping to his feet and running to wrap his arms around me.

I knelt down to meet his outstretched arms. "Jasper," I smiled, giving him a small cuddle. "Where are your parents?"

He sniffed again. "I don't know. I got lost from Daddy."

"Why don't we see if we can find him?" I offered, trying to ignore the renewed surge of anger that Edward hadn't even bothered to return my phone calls. I reminded myself that he didn't know me; he didn't owe me anything. We'd only had a few short days to get to know each other. I pushed my anger aside and concentrated on the terrified little boy in front of me.

"Do you remember which way you came from?" I asked Jasper.

He shook his head before wiping his nose with his sleeve.

"Well—" I started to talk, but was cut off by a panicked voice.

"Jasper!" I recognised Edward's voice instantly, but it was so full of fear and concern that it made my heart ache. I wanted him to know that Jasper was okay.

"Over here!" I replied, standing up to try to see Edward through the trees.

"Jasper!" Edward cried again.

"Daddy!" Jasper screamed before running into the trees.

"Wait, Jasper," I said quickly. "Just wait here. He'll see us better if we are in the clearing."

Jasper turned back toward me and then looked at the dense forest. He seemed to consider something before heading back to my side.

"We're over by the river," I shouted.

Suddenly, Edward burst out of the trees. He only had eyes for Jasper standing beside me. He raced over and pulled him into his arms, kissing his hair and holding him tightly. Edward shut his eyes and whispered, "I was so worried. I'm so sorry I lost you. I thought you were right behind me. I'm so sorry. I'm so glad you're safe."

Jasper went from hugging Edward tightly to squirming in his arms until Edward had to put him down.

"Thank you for he—" Edward finally turned from Jasper to me. "Bella?" his voice was full of surprise.

I smiled weakly.

"What are you doing here?" Edward asked, pulling Jasper a little closer to him, and blocking him from me protectively and looking around quickly.

I wasn't sure what he expected to see or why he was suddenly defensive. "I'm here camping," I said indignantly. I had just helped out his son, and he had the gall to treat me like a villain. "I'd better get back. My family are waiting for me." I waved to Jasper. "Nice seeing you again, Jasper."

I felt Edward's eyes burning into me as I turned to climb back into the boat, my shoes getting wet as the water lapped at the bottom of my jeans. I refused to look back at Edward. I didn't know what I had done to make him so defensive, but I didn't see any point in wasting time with him. Jasper was safe, that should have been the only thing that concerned me.

"Bella, wait!" Edward shouted.

I was already in the boat, so I pushed it away from the edge and out into the lake. Suddenly, my movement stopped and I thought I must have been snagged on something. _Great,_ I thought, _I'm going to have to get out and push in front of Edward. _

I turned back toward the riverbank to see if I could dislodge the snag without climbing out, and saw Edward holding onto the side of the boat. "Please wait," he asked quietly, looking down at his hand.

I closed my eyes. "Why?"

"I just wanted you to know…I've left Victoria."

I followed his eyes down to his left hand, where the indent of his wedding band had completely faded. I didn't know why he was telling me he'd left his wife. Unless…

"I…well…I found out something a little…unsavory about her…" His words were faltering.

I raised my eyes to meet his.

"And your husband." Edward's soft confession didn't surprise me the way that he obviously thought it might.

I nodded. "I know."

His hands dropped away and the boat began to move again. "What?" he whispered incredulously.

"I know what happened between them."

His mouth fell open as I drifted slowly away. I wanted to say more, but I couldn't find it in me to pick up the paddle and row back to him.

~ 0 ~

I packed up camp early the next morning. Seeing Edward had tainted my holiday with memories of James and Victoria. I decided that two weeks away from reality was enough. The girls were excited to be able to return to their technology again so they didn't fuss when I announced it was time to go home. My father on the other hand, mumbled and groaned the whole time we packed. The girls waved goodbye to my parents enthusiastically as we went our separate ways and we headed home.

We arrived to find a surprise; a monstrous Jeep was parked in the drive. I pulled up to the kerb, craning my neck to see if I could find anything that would indicate who the owner of the Jeep was. I reached back and undid all the seatbelts for my girls before climbing out quickly to see who was taking up my space. As I crept closer I saw Edward leaning against the window, fast asleep.

Kate, Tanya and Tia all jumped out of my old Land Rover quickly. "Who is it, Mommy?" Kate asked.

"No-one," I murmured distractedly. I handed her the front door keys. "Can you please take your sisters into the house?"

She grabbed the keys and reluctantly rounded up Tanya and Tia. Almost as soon as they went through the front door, I saw three little faces pressed up against the front window. I wondered what on earth Edward was doing…waiting…in my drive. It wasn't until I was almost at the vehicle that I saw the tops of two little heads curled up into Edward.

I tapped on the door and Edward jumped a little. He pushed the door open and extracted himself from the vehicle wordlessly. Neither Jasper nor Emmett woke as he jostled them.

He pushed the door shut quietly and then turned to me. He blushed slightly and looked down at his feet. "Bella, I—"

"Edward, what the hell are you doing here?" I asked, cutting him off.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Bella, I needed to see you. After yesterday…"

I waited for him to continue.

"I'm sorry I never called you back." He pulled his hand roughly through his hair. "Maybe I could have saved myself some of the pain I went through."

I shrugged, trying to play it off casually. "You don't know me. You couldn't have known what I wanted."

"At first I thought you were trying to cause trouble. About a month before you called, I found a letter from _James_," he sneered the name, "to Victoria, something about it being in her best interest to keep me in the dark about what happened between them. When I confronted her, she denied everything. She denied that she'd even seen the letter before. She convinced me to go away with her for a little while. We even started counselling over my 'trust issues'." He laughed sardonically.

"When you called, she convinced me to forget about you. It wasn't until a month later when I noticed a regular payment coming from the bank account and I _knew_. I just knew."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I couldn't believe I had been so stupid. I realised Victoria never loved me. She'd never really cared for me, only for my money. I went crazy. I sold the house and the company. I went into hiding with the boys. I just couldn't cope.

"Seeing you again yesterday reminded me of the way you were when you were at our house, and of the way I felt then." He met my eye and held it for a moment.

I held up my hand to cut him off. I didn't want to talk about Victoria or James, or even Edward and I. I wanted to put it all behind me and move on the best way I could. "Thank you for taking the time to apologise…wait, how did you know where I live?" I thought better of the question as soon as I asked it. "Never mind, just, well, thank you again."

I turned to head back into the house. I felt his hand grab hold of my arm, stopping me quickly. "Please, wait."

I closed my eyes as he stepped closer to me.

"I know you've been hurt," he whispered softly into my ear. "I have been too. I just wanted to see if we could be…friends."

I shook my head slowly. "I don't know if I can. It's all just part of my life that I'm happier to put behind me." Even as I said the words, pain burned through my chest at the thought of never seeing Edward again now that I knew it was a possibility.

"I understand." His arm dropped away. "I hope you can find happiness one day."

I turned back to him to ask where he got off assuming I was unhappy, but when I opened my eyes and saw his honest expression all I could say was, "Me too."

His gaze held me captive and I lingered longer than I meant to. Within seconds, the beating of my heart increased until it was thrumming in my chest. His eyes were green flames setting alight fires within me. With great effort, I tried to turn away from him, but found that I couldn't. His arms clutched me tightly and his lips pressed against my own, needfully asserting his desire. The kiss lasted less than a second, but was everything I'd thought it would be the first time I'd dreamed about his lips meeting mine. I was left wanting more, so much more.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his face barely an inch from mine. His breath washed over me, accentuating the perfect moment that our lips met. Nothing I'd ever shared with James had contained the passion and barely restrained desire of the almost innocent kiss.

I placed my hand on the side of his face and gently stroked. "Don't ever be sorry for that."

"I've wanted to do that from the first moment I saw you," he admitted.

I blushed under the intensity of his gaze and at the sweetness of his words. I nodded, too intimidated by his proximity to do anything more. I took one more deep breath, inhaling his scent and then stepped away.

"Thank you again for stopping by," I murmured.

"Can I call you at least?" he called as I walked away.

I turned on the spot and walked backwards for a few steps. Finally, just as I reached the door, I nodded. I opened the door and stepped inside, taking one last glance at the Jeep in my drive. Edward had climbed back into the driver's side and I could have sworn I saw him give a little fist pump.

I was bombarded with questions the moment the door was closed, but I had to ignore them all because the home phone was ringing. I ran to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Bella? It's Edward, you said I could call you."

I laughed softly. "Yeah, you're right, Edward. I did."

~ 0 ~

I sat in front of the TV in my new house in Forks. I just had to watch the re-run of a three year old episode of 'Wife Swap' playing on the Classic channel. I balanced Angela on my knee, bouncing her slightly to stop her from fussing. I heard the sounds of my other children all over the house. I'd asked them to join us, but they weren't interested.

As I settled onto the couch I thought about how my life had turned out so far. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be a mother to six-and-a-half kids before I turned thirty-two, but I loved all of my kids completely and equally. Luckily for me, they all adored one another. There hadn't even been a fuss when Angela had come along nine months ago, or when we announced I was expecting again a few short months later.

"Is it on yet?" my husband called out as he pushed open the front door. I smiled at his arrival home from work, which was always the highlight of my day.

"It's just about to start," I replied.

He rushed into the room, placing his briefcase beside the couch, before walking over to me and kissing me sweetly. He settled in beside me, turning into me to place one hand tenderly over my stomach and caress Angela's cheek with the other. "How's my little girl doing?"

"She's been a little fussy this afternoon, but she's good."

He smiled, his eyes crinkling around the edges. It might have been a little over two years that we'd been together, but I was still just as attracted to him as I had been the first time I'd seen him. He kissed me once more, his lips lingering on mine, before tucking me under his arm. "C'mon, let's watch how we met."

I snuggled in tighter, pulling Angela in between us. "I love you, Edward."

"I think I loved you from the first moment I saw you," he whispered. As if on cue, our meeting was on the screen. I sighed contentedly, watching the obvious chemistry between us, present from the very first glance. An instant and deep attraction lit up the screen each time we looked at each other. Looking back now it seemed almost impossible that I had ever managed to resist kissing Edward. I couldn't now—the fact that I was pregnant with our second child together was testament to that fact. I shuddered a little during the parts with James and Victoria, but a part of me was glad for it. My life with Edward was happier and more fulfilled than my life ever was with James. There was a time when I'd thought Wife Swap was the biggest mistake of my life, but now I knew that it wasn't.

It was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

~ 0 ~


End file.
